gochujang

noun

go·​chu·​jang ˈgō-ˈchü-ˈjäŋ 

: a spicy paste used in Korean cuisine that is made from red chili peppers, glutinous rice, and fermented soybeans

With Ms. Kim's encouragement, I made a version of her Korean bouillabaisse by sautéing kimchi with gochujang, soy sauce and fish sauce, then adding stock and a mix of shrimp, scallops and mussels. The gochujang added flavor and served as a thickener.

—Jane Black

Korean supermarkets, like H Mart in Manhattan, carry not only all manner of foods—like gochujang, three-layered pork belly, and Korean snacks—but also a range of practical (affordable) kitchen and home goods.

—Lauren Ro

Examples of gochujang in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The sandwich drips with a red gochujang glaze, which gets balanced with a little sweetness in crunch thanks to a sesame slaw. —Chelsea Brasted, Axios, 20 Nov. 2024

While the menu will be Japanese fare, one dish that diners can expect from Black Ginger’s Korean American menu is a version of its popular Tempura Broccolini that featured gochujang aioli, lemon zest and crispy garlic. —Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 7 Nov. 2024

The baker, who was born in Korea but moved to the U.S. in early childhood, wants to extend her use of nostalgic Korean flavors by way of avocado toast with Out of Thin Air’s gochujang bread, or Korean porridge with a range of toppings. —Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 18 Oct. 2024

Unlike the fire-red modern version that’s flavored with gochujang (Korean red pepper paste), gungjung tteok-bokki was prepared by seasoning meat, vegetables and rice cakes in soy sauce and was considered a delicacy served to the king (hence its name). —Regina Kim, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2024

Wendy’s debuted a Jalapeño Popper Sandwich and Shake Shack added a chicken sandwich with a spicy-sweet gochujang glaze. —Bychris Morris, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2024

Beyond Sausage paired perfectly with the pungent red curry paste in this rice cake stir-fry, and swapping in Impossible Beef was unnoticeable in these spicy-sweet gochujang sloppy joes. —Rebecca Gorena, Bon Appétit, 13 Aug. 2024

The spicy, salty, savory, and slightly sweet gochujang sauce (a staple sauce used in many Korean recipes) perks up the natural sweetness and floral aroma of the melon. —Karla Walsh, Southern Living, 27 July 2024

Another commodity produced by the village was beans for gochujang; the beans are called jangdan, and this was formerly Jangdan County. —William T. Vollmann, Harper's Magazine, 24 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Korean kojujang, from koju "red pepper" + chang "paste made from soybean and other ingredients" (borrowed from a Middle Chinese antecedent of Beijing Chinese jiàng "soybean paste")

First Known Use

1966, in the meaning defined above